232 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



is seldom prolonged for more than 120 days. More com- 

 monly it covers a period of about 90 days. Lambs call 

 for a somewhat longer period to reach high flesh than 

 more mature sheep as they make muscle in a greater de- 

 gree than the latter. 



When sheep and lambs are fattened within a short 

 time, concentrates rich in the elements of nutrition must 

 be fed. For such feeding no grain has higher adaptation 

 than corn. Finishing within short periods is attended 

 with more hazard than when feeding is more prolonged. 

 The mortality attending such feeding is usually greater 

 than when the period of feeding is more extended. 



The fattening of sheep and lambs may be prolonged 

 in two ways. By the first the quantity of protein fed is 

 large, relatively, and by the second, while the concentrate 

 fed is chiefly carbonaceous, it is not fed up to the limit 

 of the capacity of the animals to consume it. While feed- 

 ing in the latter sense may be more costly in the amount 

 of food consumed to produce the necessary finish, the less 

 relative loss may more than compensate for the extra food 

 used. 



With rare exceptions, the aim should be to reach a 

 high finish in the animals fed. The exceptions include such 

 times as when home-grown food supplies are short and 

 the cost of purchased foods is high, and when an early 

 winter brings fattening on the pastures to an abrupt close 

 under conditions which preclude the continuance of the 

 fattening process in sheds. High finish and top market 

 prices are almost invariably associated. An advance of 

 even a fraction of a cent a pound will make considerable 

 difference in the profits. 



Increase from sheep while fattening — Prominent 

 among the conditions that afifect increase are breeding, 

 individuality, age, and food. It is true that breed influ- 

 ences gains, but to a less degree than individuality in the 

 animals that are being fattened. Sheep, for instance, that 

 have been developed largely for the wool produced, as the 



